as in blushing
to develop a rosy facial color (as from excitement or embarrassment)
his face reddened when she flashed him a dazzling smile
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Recent Examples of reddening
His huddles at times resemble a family Sunday supper after the conversation turns to politics – everyone yelling, nobody listening, Izzo’s face reddening and a whiteboard left broken, the innocent victim of all the arguing (though they are rumored to be pre-cut to avoid splintering).
—
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
Warning signs include yellowing within a week of infestation, purpling or reddening of leaves, stunting despite adequate moisture, weakening root systems and patchy areas of thinning or dead grass.
—Christina Shaw, FOXNews.com, 12 Dec. 2025
Angine desperately returns to the store, again and again, to get her fix from Malaise, her face reddening from blood just below the surface, a canvas of her awakened desire.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2025
The front lawn falls steeply away from the house and on down to the fence, a garden overgrown with reddening watsonias.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Visible light has been shown to trigger erythema, or skin reddening, in lighter skin.
—Andrea Muraskin, NPR, 23 Aug. 2025
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
Warning signs include yellowing within a week of infestation, purpling or reddening of leaves, stunting despite adequate moisture, weakening root systems and patchy areas of thinning or dead grass.
—Christina Shaw, FOXNews.com, 12 Dec. 2025
Angine desperately returns to the store, again and again, to get her fix from Malaise, her face reddening from blood just below the surface, a canvas of her awakened desire.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2025
The front lawn falls steeply away from the house and on down to the fence, a garden overgrown with reddening watsonias.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Visible light has been shown to trigger erythema, or skin reddening, in lighter skin.
—Andrea Muraskin, NPR, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reddening
Verb
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Cue a raft of social media fancams showing a blushing Mary Bennet being pursued by her handsome, Regency-era bachelors.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
28 May 2026
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The blushing singer was snapped getting a sweet smooch on the cheek from her big brother while backstage.—
John Russell,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
Verb
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The microscopic droplets released from a flushing toilet can rise 4 feet in the air and be inhaled or land on bathroom surfaces.—
Abby Wolner,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2026
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Lower flows mean less sediment flushing downstream, accelerating the sinking of the Louisiana delta.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
Verb
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For glowing skin, get the plumping thirst relief facial, which involves a nori algae mask and organic marine products only found at Shangri-La Boracay.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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From its glowing critical reception to its significant awards recognition, the series resonated with UK audiences in a way that felt truly profound.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reddening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reddening. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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